Posts

At STC, we believe in keeping employees safe in every situation. July is Ultraviolet Safety Month, so we will focus on highlighting the importance of UV and heat protection, especially in the harsh summer temperatures we have been experiencing the last few months. Here’s everything you need to know about protecting yourself from UV Rays during Ultraviolet Safety Month!

The Importance of UV Protection 

As the summer heat continues to rise, the importance of UV protection cannot be overstated. To celebrate Ultraviolet Safety Month, we are working to create awareness about the importance of protecting our eyes and skin from the side effects of UV rays. Follow these crucial steps to protect yourself and others on your crew from UV light exposure:

  • Wear at least 15 SPF sunscreen or higher during the day
  • Cover exposed skin with sleeves, pants, hats and sunglasses
  • Try staying in the shade when the sun is the most intense

The Effects of Prolonged Exposure

Whether the UV light is coming from a natural source or an artificial source, the effects are the same. Prolonged exposure to UV light can lead to multiple forms of cancer, premature aging of the skin and a weakened immune system. It can also affect vision, cause sunburns and cause cataracts to form. It’s crucial to keep yourself, your family and your crew safe from UV rays. 

Heat Continues to Be An Issue

While we continue to work through record-breaking heat, it’s important to remember that the hottest month of the year is yet to come. August is known to be particularly hot with some of the hottest days ever recorded in the United States. Keep your crew safe by making an even bigger effort to protect them from UV light, heat illness and even death. We are working through this heat together and our biggest goal is to ensure the safety of everyone on our team and yours. 

No matter how you choose to protect yourself from UV rays, STC is always here to help you make safety simple. We offer a wide variety of managed safety services, instructor-led training and safety consulting services that will help build a safety culture around your business. Want to learn more about protecting workers from extreme heat with STC? Check out our blog!

Photo Sourced from STC

As summer starts to heat things up with record-breaking heat waves, it is crucial that every employee stays safe in these dangerous working conditions. Heat illness can set in a lot faster than most people think, so we’ve put together a list of quick tips to keep your crew safe. Here are some essential summer safety tips from the safety experts on the STC team:

Always Stay Hydrated, No Matter What

Hydration is key to preventing heat illness in your crew. People working in harsh summer conditions can lose a lot of hydration due to sweat and exposure to the summer sun. To keep your entire crew safe, it’s important to provide essentials such as water, electrolytes and plenty of breaks throughout the day to ensure everyone has a chance to cool off and stay hydrated.

Stay Up-to-Date on OSHA Guidelines

OSHA is notorious for regularly updating and improving safety guidelines, so it’s important to follow them as closely as possible to keep your crew safe. Recently, they introduced enhanced and expanded measures to protect workers from the hazards of extreme heat, both inside and outside. If you feel like you’re falling behind on all of the constantly updating guidelines, check back into our blog where we outline new guidelines as they are introduced.

Summer Safety Tips for Construction

Summer is one of the best seasons for finding construction jobs, but one of the hardest seasons for workers. Staying prepared for summer weather can keep your employees safe from severe injuries, illnesses and even death. Help your employees protect themselves from extreme heat by ensuring they are taking regular breaks and wearing light, breathable clothing.

No matter how you choose to implement these summer safety tips, STC is always here to help you make it simple. We offer a wide variety of managed safety services, instructor-led training and safety consulting services that will help build a safety culture around your business. Want to learn more about protecting workers from extreme heat with STC? Check out our blog!

Photo Sourced from STC

At STC, we are dedicated to keeping you and your employees safe in every situation. The Farmers Almanac predicts that the south is in for another tough winter, with high possibilities for sleet and snow, similar to the winter storm in Texas this February. Here are all of the winter safety tips that you will need to know to keep your employees safe from the cold this winter:

Drive Safely in the Snow

As most of the south shuts down amid a rough winter storm, some people do not have that luxury. If you, or your employees, will be required to drive during snow or ice, it is crucial that you prepare yourself and your vehicle. Follow these tips to stay safe while driving in the winter:

  1. Check your battery. Battery power can drop as temperatures drop.
  2. Check the tread on your tires to ensure at least 2/32 of an inch.
  3. Drive slower, as black ice is hard to see and can cause your car to spin out.
  4. Check the tire pressure. Tire pressure can drop as the temperature drops.

Do Your Best to Stay Warm

Many workers will still be required to work outside as temperatures drop, sometimes even as they get below freezing. It is crucial that every employee bundles up to protect themselves from the freezing temperatures, preferably with thermal clothing and thick jackets. Cold-related illnesses are far more common than most people think, even in warmer areas like the south.

Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide can pose a serious threat to human life that is virtually undetectable without the right equipment. Each year, carbon monoxide poisonings result in more than 400 people deaths and 50,000 illnesses. This poison is produced by burning fuel in vehicles, small engines, stoves, lanterns, grills, fireplaces, gas ranges, portable generators or furnaces. It is crucial that every workplace is equipped with well-maintained carbon monoxide detectors to prevent these illnesses and fatalities.

No matter how you choose to teach your employees winter safety tips, STC is always here to help you make it simple. We offer a wide variety of managed safety services, instructor-led training and safety consulting services that will help build a safety culture around your business. Want to learn more seasonal weather safety tips from the experts at STC? Check out our blog today!

Photo Sourced from Getty Images: #1207998410

At STC, we are committed to keeping our clients informed on the latest news happening in our industry. Recently, OSHA passed a new rule regarding working temperatures in an attempt to limit the number of heat illness cases and fatalities. Here is everything you need to know about the new rules regarding heat illness and how they might affect how your business operates:

Expanded Measures to Protect Workers

The enhanced and expanded measures from OSHA are intended to protect workers from the hazards of extreme heat, both inside and outside. The new regulations specifically target those who work in conditions of 80˚ Fahrenheit or more either inside of their facility or outside on the job. Their new tactics will include an intervention and enforcement initiative to protect workers.

Implementing an Enforcement Initiative

The new enforcement initiative on heat-related hazards will be used to prevent illness and protect workers from heat-related illnesses while they are working in hot environments. In addition, OSHA will also be implementing a National Emphasis Program on heat inspections and launching a more regulated rulemaking process to develop a workplace heating standard.

The Hazards of Extreme Heat

While the new regulations will help regulate working conditions for employees, we see it as a win for workers everywhere who have had to work in hazardous conditions. In 2019 alone, 43 workers died from heat illness and at least 2,410 others suffered serious injuries and illnesses. Since heat illness is a highly preventable injury, the new regulations are a much-needed change.

No matter how you choose to start regulating these rules into your workplace, STC is always here to help you make it simple. We offer a wide variety of managed safety services, instructor-led training and safety consulting services that will help build a safety culture around your business. Want to learn more about the hazards of extreme heat from the experts at STC? Check out our blog today!

Photo Sourced from Getty Images: #1175702132

Summer in the south means that temperatures are going to average 90º-100º on any given day, creating potentially dangerous situations for those that work outside. At STC, we are dedicated to providing all of the heat safety tips you will need to keep yourself and others safe this summer. Here’s everything you need to know about heat safety from the experts at STC: 

Hydration is Key to Summer Safety 

As you work in the summer heat, you are going to need to hydrate yourself frequently to make up for all of the fluids you are losing in the form of sweat. If you become dehydrated on the job, you can become fatigued, dizzy and prone to falling, creating dangerous situations. Ensure that everyone on your crew is drinking plenty of water throughout the day to keep them safe. 

Work Smarter, Not Harder 

One of the best heat safety tips to keep your crew protected from heat stress is creating a strategy for when you will work on the most intensive parts of your job. Generally, it is best to ensure that you work up to the hardest parts of your job throughout the day, completing the easiest tasks during the coolest parts of the day. It is also crucial to ensure that everyone on the crew takes breaks more frequently in the summer, preferably in the shade or air conditioning. 

Provide Heat Safety Tips in Your Training 

As you walk your team through their regular training, it is important to ensure that they are educated on the most essential heat safety tips. Teach them how to spot signs of heat stress for themselves and others so that they are able to prevent dangerous situations before they happen. Every team member needs to understand how to prevent heat stress by staying hydrated, wearing light clothing, eating healthy on the job and taking frequent breaks. 

No matter how you choose to teach your employees heat safety tips, STC is always here to help you make it simple. We offer a wide variety of managed safety services, instructor-led training and safety consulting services that will help build a safety culture around your business. Want to learn more heat safety tips from the experts at STC? Check out our blog today! 

Photo Sourced from Getty Images: #1308386875

At STC, we believe that the right education and training can help preserve human life in the workplace. Warmer weather is finally here but with the new season comes a new set of safety guidelines employees should follow for their own protection. Here are all of the construction safety tips you need to prepare your employees for warmer weather and summer safety:

Stay Prepared for Summer Safety

Summer is one of the best seasons for construction, but one of the hardest seasons for construction workers. Staying prepared for summer weather can protect your employees from severe injuries, illnesses and even death. Help your employees protect themselves from extreme heat by ensuring they are staying hydrated and wearing light, breathable clothing.

Choose Work Assignments Carefully

As a responsible employer of construction workers, there are quite a few things you can do to help prevent serious heat exhaustion in your employees. One of the best ways to ensure employees are protected is assigning the hardest work for the coolest parts of the day. This way, workers will be able to cool down after heavy work while it is still cold enough for them to do so.

When it is too hot outside, you should take the time to ensure that employees are taking regular breaks to rehydrate and cool down their bodies. If employees are not guaranteed regular breaks during peak heat hours in the summer, they could potentially overheat their bodies. Illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke can lead to serious injuries, illnesses and even cause fatalities.

Teach Employees Construction Safety Tips

All of your employees should be trained regularly with seasonal weather safety tips. Whether it’s rain, snow, heat or cold, employees should understand how to protect themselves against the elements in which they will be working. We recommend a quarterly instructor-led training session from professionals to help employees keep themselves and others safe on the job. 

No matter how you choose to teach your employees construction safety tips, STC is always here to help you make it simple. We offer a wide variety of managed safety services, instructor-led training and safety consulting services that will help build a safety culture around your business. Want to learn more construction safety tips? Check out our blog today!